My images are different, like your brand needs to be.

I recently did a cover illustration for GottaGoGolf, an online golf magazine for women. The illustration was to support the feature article: it’s a great time to join a country club, or ask for extra perks if you’re already a member. Why? Clubs are hurting for members during these tough economic times, and they’re ready to deal.

It’s exciting to get a cover assignment, and I had visions of doing something elaborate. But I had to simplify the design considerably, for an unexpected reason– more on that below. Here’s the finished cover.

Click on the image below to view the issue. There are multiple viewing options. It’s a lovely magazine, well-written, first class production values. If you’re a woman golfer, it’s definitely worth a look. Subscription is free. (I’m not being compensated in any way to promote the magazine.)

One of my ideas was to have a woman golfer standing next to giant teed-up golf balls.
C.C. membership perks would be shown as logos on the balls, the “grass” would be paper money. Implied: look at all the extras your money can buy right now. Here’s
the rough sketch:

Or how about a country club so desperate for members, that it sets up a lemonade stand in the middle of a fairway? Buy a glass and get a membership at no extra charge…

What about an enterprising membership recruiter who enlists gophers in his marketing efforts? They all pop up and tout membership benefits to the golfers playing through:

These ideas got some applause, but alas, they were unworkable. Why? GottaGoGolf is a digital-only magazine. It notifies subscribers electronically when a new issue is available. Many subscribers receive this message on their cell phones. They will view the magazine cover on their phone’s display screen. For the cover to be legible at all, the graphics have to be very simple.

I thought of magazines like Time and Reader’s Digest. Nowadays, their covers feature a single image with minimal detail. Are cell phones responsible for The Incredible Shrinking Magazine Cover Image? I haven’t actually read anything to that effect, but I suspect that may be the case. So the next time you’re asked to illustrate a magazine cover, be sure to ask if it has to legible when viewed on a cell phone.

I returned to the drawing board and developed some simpler concepts– like prospective members being in such a strong position as buyers, that they can make their local country club jump through hoops:

Or they can rub a magic lamp with paper money and conjure up a country club genii ready to grant their every wish:

Here’s the original sketch for the very obliging performing seal. His anatomy definitely needed some work! He also needed to assume a more vertical position so the text on his costume could be more easily read.

Here’s the final:

What do you think? Ever had a gopher try to talk you into joining a country club? Are cell phones “dumbing down” magazine covers? Hope you’ll leave a comment.

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You created some really great ideas Mark. I’m surprised though that they didn’t mention the graphics had to be viewed digitally or be very simple (unless they did?).

It is a shame though to have to simplify the works because of technology. Guess with everything and people mainly running on technology the graphics do have to be limited so it is easy on the eye. But sometimes it can turn out to be a good thing, as with your final concept.

It is interesting how you moved the process from using things involved with golf to something completely different. It certainly adds humour to it : )

And as for the gophers, I have never had the fortune of one talking me into anything, but I would attempt to take it home instead ^__^

It was only after the first set of roughs, that the subject of phone viewing came up. Years ago, it would have bothered me: Why didn’t you tell me that to begin with???? etc. I’ve come to understand that more often than not, certain details only emerge as one goes along– it’s par for the course (hey– a golf pun!!) in illustration. In this case, my client may have assumed that the cell phone factor was familiar to me, that I’d run into in before. Now, in future, I’ll be able to act the part of sage old illustrator and ask clients: “Now what about cell phone viewing– is that something we need to consider?” And they’ll cry: “He’s a genius!!– he thinks of everything!!” : )

FWIW: Working within restrictions is common in commercial illustration– it’s an aspect that doesn’t get much publicity.

And don’t take any gophers home unless they’re dressed in a Sailor Moon outfit!!! : )

I love following along on your thought process with coming up with something like this. I can only imagine how hard it would be to get that concept. I would imagine it’s kind of good to have some limitations like having to keep it simple enough to fit on a cell phone. I love what you did! I never thought about it before but I suppose this would be a good time to join a country club!

Ha! And I think the day somebody wants me to design the cover of a magazine will be the day I buy that $7500 no make that $6000 glass of lemonade! 🙂

Yes indeed, limitations help a lot. For example, I only have white underwear– makes it easy to decide on the day’s undergarment concept. Otherwise, I’d be standing in front of the dresser all day, fretting and scratching my head… : )

Don’t sell yourself short. (Hm… wasn’t I just talking about shorts?) You may well be asked to design a cover someday. I always love the doodles you include with some of your outrageous posts. Definitely shows a strong design sensibility… : )

You are a wise man, Mark, why waste valuable synapses choosing colors? I keep telling my husband to buy all the same colored socks, will he listen? He’s wasted valuable years of his life searching for matches . . . if he had only listened to me he’d only be 27 years old right now.

I like the end result. All drafts were good, but you make an excellent point about the amt of information that you want to put, vs what will be readable. I actually do not read much on my iPhone, because of the size. I keep some old issues of SI at my office which I just looked at, and you are correct; most of the issues have just a simple headline with a closeup photo. All the space is used in that ‘less is more’ idea.

Many thanks for your kind and helpful comment. Sounds like design simplicity for the sake of cell phone readability is, indeed, a trend. I think of the sprawling nature of some of the old New Yorker and Saturday Evening Post covers, and their ability to tell a story, and I’m saddened to think we’re losing that. One must bow to new realities, however, and adjust one’s approach to design accordingly. It will certainly be interesting to see how it all plays out.

But wow…I never thought about the phone/tablet shrinkage effect in terms of publications (no “smartphone” or tablet, here).

Recently I downloaded Xcode to see if I could teach myself how to program apps for phones (BWAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and it wasn’t until I saw the ACTUAL size of the viewing area that I began to realize how goofy webpages can look when they’re the “desktop” size but displayed on itty-bitty screens. Graphics (etc.) need to be considered really carefully, don’t they? And spacing…text ….and colors!

Thank you for showing this other side to the problem. There are many online publications and apparently size matters!